VOICE OF THE PEOPLE | December 3, 2012

Published December 3, 2012 - 4:16am Last Updated December 3, 2012 - 6:47am

Average: 2.9(8 votes)

Rural N.S. hopes for best

It was with a mixture of exaltation and hope that one read about the establishment of a new provincial economic commission for rural growth. What was especially heart-warming was the appointment of Acadia president Ray Ivany as chairman, and such high-end committee members as John Bragg, a successful businessman.

On the surface, this looks like a brilliant move by Darrell Dexter. But living in rural Nova Scotia, one sometimes sees a different picture.

For instance, the infrastructure: Rural roads are falling apart. Our 25-kilometre road to Victoria Beach is disintegrating. Phone the local officials and the reply is “no money.” Write the minister in Halifax and the reply is the same: “no money.” Yet we see these huge paving machines all over the HRM. This year, the patch work was not done because of no money.

Tourism is another very important thing for rural Nova Scotia. Yet, starting Sept. 1, Parks Canada closed down for two days each week its important historical sites. Kejimkujik National Park was chained off and closed as of Thanksgiving, much to the annoyance of American and European tourists. This does not encourage tourism. Provincial tourism officials have cut the budgets of staff in rural areas, which means they have to close earlier.

Infrastructure and tourism are two big items for rural Nova Scotia. We have got to do better.

Good luck and may the commission get the full support of the government.

Graham Wright, Victoria Beach

Ceremony to remember

The Halifax Explosion remembrance ceremony at Fort Needham this year will be supported by a brief recognition event that will encompass downtown Halifax, Dartmouth and Bedford.

The cannon on Citadel Hill will sound at 9:05 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 6, to signal the time of the actual explosion in 1917, which also occurred on a Thursday.

Immediately following that action, about 20 area churches will ring their bells or chimes to celebrate the lives of those who suffered and the relief efforts of those who assisted in the aftermath.

The Admiralty will sound the fog horns on naval ships in port, and the Acadia on the waterfront will ring the ship’s bell.

The Halifax regional school board and private schools have been informed in case they wish to create an education opportunity around the occasion.

Hopefully, all within earshot will notice the irregularity of the cannon and church bell soundings and will pause to reflect on what it must have been like at that moment 95 years ago when three per cent of the Halifax/Dartmouth population perished immediately, 16 per cent were injured, and 11 per cent lost their homes.

Fred Honsberger, Halifax

Restore people’s views

Transportation Minister Maurice Smith, MLA for Antigonish, said in regard to the boundary review that “they had to take some of my vote” and move it. News flash: These are not your votes to move. They do not belong to you.

This shows the whole problem with this boundary review and any politicians who believe that we have taken “their votes” away. We saw it at the municipal and school board level and now at the provincial level. No doubt we will see it federally as well.

Can we please let a commission do its work unencumbered, bring back the views of the people to the politicians and complete this process fairly?